Starting device for internal-combustion engines.



A. PETER. STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED n13.2e, 1914.

1,126,072, Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

25 wanes 9% .4g Nnpws PETEIS c0., PHOTOLITHOU wASHlNGmN. D. C.

' ED SATES ALFRED PETER, OF THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

Application filed February 26, 1914. Serial No. 821,234.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALFRED PETER, a citizen of Switzerland, residing at Three Rivers, Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in starting devices for internal combustion engines.

The object of this invention is to provide a device for starting internal combustion engines by admitting compressed air into the engine cylinder in which the admission of compressed air is controlled by the piston of the air compressor.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of construction and operation will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification.

The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which:

so I Figure I is a View partly in elevation and partly in section of a structure embodying my invention, the engine cylinder and piston being shown in conventional form. Fig. II is a diagrammatic view, showing the timing connection between the engine piston and the air compressor piston. Fig. III is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modification in which the ports in the compressor cylinder are opened and closed by the top of the compressor piston.

In the drawing similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Considering the numbered parts of the drawing, 1 is a cylinder of an internal combustion engine in which the piston 2 works.

Near the top of the cylinder I have provided an inlet valve comprising the valvecasing 3, having a valve seat at its inner end against which the valve 5 fits, said valve 5 being provided with the valve stem 4 passing through said casing and provided with a spring 6 at its outer end which holds the valve 5 securely in its seat. The inlet valve is connected by meansof a pipe 7 with the outlet port 9 in the air compressor 8. Piston 10 Works in the cylinder of the air compressor and said piston is provided with an annular port 10 which is adapted to come into alinement with the outlet port 9. The piston rod 11 is pivotally connected to the piston 10 as at 12, and to the engine crank shaft 13. The head 1% of the air compressor is provided with an air intake 15 and an intake valve 17 having the valve stem 16 and the spring 18 holding the valve 17 in its seat. The head of the air compressor is also provided with an outlet valve chamber in which is seated the outlet valve 21 with the valve stem 20 slidably mounted in the plug 19 carried by said compressor head. Said valve is held resiliently in its seat by means of the spring 22.

The outlet valve chamber is connected by means of the pipe 23 with the air storage tank 24:. The storage tank is connected by means of a pipe 25 with the inlet port 27 in the lower part of the air compressor which is in alinement with the outlet port 9, and said annular port 10 in the compressor piston is adapted to be brought into alinement with the outlet and inlet ports 27 and 9 so as to permit the air from the compressed air supply to pass through ports 27 and 10 to port 9 and through pipe 7 into the engine cylinder. The pipe 25 is provided with a shut-oft" cook 26 for cutting off the supply of air from the storage tank.

The air compressor piston is operated by the engine crank shaft, but I have not illustrated the particular connection between said crank shaft and the engine piston inasmuch as the same forms no part of my invention except that it is essential that the air compressor piston be so connected with the engine piston as to move in time with the latter. This timing connection is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. II. In this view the compressor piston is shown in the position in which it is shown in Fig. I when the piston is about to move down so as to open the annular port 10 and permit the passage of the compressed air into the en gine cylinder. It will be noted that this action begins to take place when the engine piston has just passed the top dead center, and the port 10 will remain open until the engine piston has reached a point just in advance of that at which the exhaust ports of the engine are opened. Thus compressed air will be supplied to the engine cylinder during the down stroke of the engine piston.

In Fig. III, I have shown a modification in which compressed air is admitted through the pipe 7 when the compressor piston 10 moves down sufficiently to open the ports 27 and 9. In this form of my device the annular groove 10 is omitted.

From the description of the parts given above the operation of the structure should be very readily understood. hen it is desired to start the engine, the shut-off cook 26 is opened connecting the inlet port 27 with the compressed air tank. If the piston is in some other position the fly wheel of the engine is turned by hand until the piston is in a position just beyond the top dead center. Compressed air will then be admitted to the cylinder through the ports 27, 10 and'9, the pipe 7 and the inlet valve 5, and this compressed air will force the piston on its down stroke. The air will be automatically cut ofl', by the upward movement of the compressor piston, just before the engine piston opens the exhaust ports and the momentum of the parts will carry the piston back on its upstroke to its first position when the port 10 will be automatically opened again and a fresh charge of compressed air will be admitted into the cylinder. This may be kept up as long as desired until the charge in the engine ignites when the shut-off cook 26 can be turned to shut off the supply of compressed air. While the engine is operating the compressor piston 10 will operate to store compressed air in the tank 24-. If de sired the connection between the compressor piston and the engine piston may be such that the compressor may be disconnected when the tank is full so that the engine may run without operating the compressor.

I have designed this starting device especially for use in connection with a hot head engine of the type shown in my pending application, Serial No. 81%,185, filed the 24th day of January, 1914. However, it will be observed that this starting device may be used in connection with an internal combustion engine of any type no matter what system of ignition is used.

I am aware that the particular embodiment which I have here set forth is susceptible of considerable variation without departing from the spirit of my invention and, therefore, I do not wish to be restricted to the same. I have found, however, in actual practice, that this form is to be preferred, and, therefore, I desire to claim the same specifically as well as broadly as indicated by my appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of an engine cylinder, a piston working therein, an inlet valve opening into said cylinder, an air compressor comprising a cylinder and a piston working therein, inlet and outlet ports in said compressor cylinder wall, an annular groove in said compressor-piston forming a port adapted to be brought into alinement with said inlet and outlet ports, a pipe connecting said outlet port with the inlet valve in the engine cylinder, an air storage tank connected with said air compressor, a pipe connecting said tank with the inlet port of said compressor, a stop cock in said pipe controlling the flow of compressed air therethrough, and a driving connection between said engine piston and said compressor piston whereby the annular port in the compressor piston is opened at the beginning of the down stroke of the engine piston and closed just before the end of said stroke, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

2. In a device of theclass described, the combination of an engine cylinder, a piston working therein, an air compressor comprising a cylinder and a piston working therein, inlet and outlet ports insaid compressor cylinder wall, an annular groove in said compressor piston forming a port adapted to be brought into alinement with said inlet and outlet ports, a pipe connecting said outlet port with the engine cylinder, an air storage tank connected with the air compressor, a pipe connecting said tank with the inlet port of said compressor, a stopcock in said pipe controlling the flow of compressed air therethrough, and'a driving connection between said engine piston and said compressor piston whereby the annular port in the compressor piston is opened at the beginning of the down stroke of the en gine piston and closed just before he. end

of said stroke, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of an engine cylinder, a piston working therein, an air compressor comprising a cylinder and a piston working therein, inlet and outlet ports in said compressor cylinder wall, an annular groove in said compressor piston forming a port adapted to be brought into alinement with said inlet and outlet ports, means connecting said outlet port with the engine cyl inder, a source of compressed air supply, a pipe connecting the inlet port of said compressor therewith, a stop-cock in said pipe controlling the flow of compressed air therethrough, and a driving connection between said engine piston and said compressor piston whereby the annular port in the compressor piston is opened at the beginning of the down stroke of the engine piston and closed just before the end of said stroke, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

t. In a device of the class described, the combination of an engine cylinder, a piston Working therein, an air compressor comprising a cylinder and a piston working therein, inlet and outlet ports in said compressor cylinder wall, an annular groove in said compressor piston forming a port adapted to be brought into alinement with said inlet and outlet ports, means connecting said outlet port with the engine cylinder, a source of compressed air supply, a pipe connecting the inlet port of said compressor therewith, and a driving connection between said engine piston and said compressor piston whereby the annular port in the compressor piston is opened at the beginning of the down stroke of the engine piston and closed just before the end of said stroke, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of an engine cylinder, a piston working therein, an air compressor comprising a cylinder and a piston working therein, inlet and outlet ports in said compressor cylinder wall, a port in said compressor piston adapted to be brought into alinement with said inlet and outlet ports, means connecting said outlet port with said engine cylinder, a source of compressed air supply, means connecting said supply with the inlet port of said compressor, and a driving connection between said engine piston and said compressor piston whereby the port in said compressor piston is opened at the beginning of the down stroke of the piston and closed just before the end of said stroke, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of an engine cylinder, a piston working therein, an air compressor comprising a cylinder and a piston working therein, a source of compressed air supply, means connecting said compressed air supply with said engine cylinder, means actuated by the compressor piston for admitting compressed air to said engine cylinder, and a driving connection between said engine piston and said compressor piston whereby compressed air is admitted to said engine cylinder at the beginning of the. down stroke of the engine piston and shut oif just before the end of said stroke, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of an engine cylinder, a piston working therein, an air compressor comprising a cylinder and a piston working therein, a source of compressed air supply connected with said engine cylinder, means whereby the flow of compressed air into said engine cylinder is controlled by said compressor piston, and a driving connection between said engine piston and said compressor piston whereby compressed air is admitted to said engine cylinder at the beginning of the down stroke of the engine piston and shut off just before the end of said stroke, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of an engine cylinder, a piston working therein, an inlet valve opening into said cylinder, an air compressor comprising a cylinder and a piston working therein, inlet and outlet ports in said compressor cylinder wall, a pipe connecting said outlet port with the inlet valve in the engine cylinder, an air storage tank connected with said air compressor, a pipe connecting said tank with the inlet port of said compressor, a stop cock in said pipe controlling the flow of compressed air therethrough, and a driving connection between said engine piston and said compressor piston whereby compressed air is admitted to the engine cylinder at the beginning of the down stroke of the engine piston and cut 05 just before the end of said stroke, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED PETER. a s.]

lVitnesses:

MILTON H. RIX, CHARLES B. STEBBINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Latents, Washington, D. C. 

